Episode Report Card Keckler: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Flight Of The Simulator
By Keckler | Season 3 | Episode 14 | Aired on 02.03.2004
In Stella Cartography, Hoshi reads off the coordinates as they appear on a viewscreen. T'Pol plots it and locates a Red Giant. In the simulator, Quantum notes that Degra encrypted the coordinates. As T'Pol talks through Quantum's sub-dermal implants (I guess he's really got her under his skin now) about the fact that the coordinates match a Red Giant, he wonders aloud how long it's going to take them to get there. "Not long," Degra says, lying down on a bunk. "Approximately three weeks at maximum warp -- a considerable detour if the weapon is not there," T'Pol also tells him. Yes, but think of all the farm stands they can visit along the way! The sweet corn alone makes it worth the trouble. Quantum taps some keys and "Stand by" is typed out on T'Pol's Red Giant coordinates.
To pass the time and stuff, Quantum asks Degra what his people will make of having a human in their midst. Degra swigs more Andorian ale and professes not to be worried, since he thinks Quantum will be accepted just on Degra the High-Ranking Official's say-so. All at once, the simulator starts to go crazy. Outside, Trip and May-did-you-ever-Nolan-Chen-my-hero confirm that something is definitely screwy. Trip plays with the hydraulics right next to the wall of the simulator and yells, "SHUT IT DOWN!" I sure hope the simulator is soundproofed. May-did-you-ever-Nolan-Chen-my-hero can't comply. Uh-Oh Daniel Dae Lewis stands in the background and observes them as impassively as if he were an evil lawyer in a demonic law firm.
The disruption is all due to the debris field, so T'Pol orders Reed to take them out. As a pilot carries out Reed's orders, we get a really quick glimpse at a cool slide ruler thing that the pilot pushes up as he plots the coordinates.
In the simulator, Degra may possibly see the brief snatch of Poltergeist static instead of stars outside the Portable Weight of the World Window. It's hard to know, since there was the static, and after it goes away, Degra looks but only sees stars. He could have seen something flicker from the corner of his eye. The simulator stops shaking.
Reed comms T'Pol that they're clear of the debris field.
Simulator. Degra asks what the problem was. "Sub-space turbulence," Quantum says lightly. "Really," Degra says flatly. He gets up -- one arm behind his back -- and asks "Jonathan" to tell him the names of Degra's children. Since they've been friends for so long. Quantum states that Degra still doesn't believe him. Ooh, ooh! It's a love test straight out of Cosmicpolitan!